Press Release 10 January 2008

With President George W Bush having arrived to place his stamp on the Middle East “peace process”, Scottish Friends of Palestine observes that, yet again we have an incumbent U.S. president:

-with no sense of justice

-with no sense of the need to adhere to the rule of law

-with no sense of the hypocrisy to be found in the actions of successive U.S. administrations

-with no apparent sense of the real concerns of the Israeli state where notions of real and lasting peace with the Palestinian people come low on the agenda

-with no real understanding of, and adherence to, the democratic process as it applies to Israel and occupied Palestine

and

-with no sense of the chasm between his avowed religious beliefs and the reality endorsed by his own actions and those of his administration

One question yet to be asked of George W Bush is the the extent to which he is either oblivious to events in occupied Palestine, or the extent to which he is compliant and complacent with regard to the horrific conditions now imposed on an imprisoned and occupied people.

Scottish Friends of Palestine would direct the attention President Bush to just one aspect of the vicious military occupation which brings to a terminal halt any prospect of peace in the Middle East.

-On 12 December 2007, at around 2:00am, Tamas ‘Ali of Azzoun Atmah village, in the northern West Bank, was refused permission by the occupation forces to pass through the checkpoint. She was forced to give birth , in a car, at the checkpoint.

-On 15 December 2007, Banan Yusef, also of Azzoun Atmah village, arrived at the same checkpoint at 2:50am. Likewise, she was refused passage and delivery of her baby started an hour and a half later. As a result of the conditions of delivery, Banan had to undergo surgery.

-In the same month, the wife of Hebron resident, Ashraf Sidr, gave birth at a military checkpoint blocking access out of Tel Rumeida neighbourhood. The occupation forces cited “security reasons” for the refusal to let the young 23 year old gain access to the local government hospital.

Scottish Friends of Palestine has no confidence that President Bush, or his advisers, will willingly address and question these actions of a brutal occupation. One incident could be excused as “unfortunate”, a second similar incident is inexcusable. A third points to policy and practice where the Palestinian population is regarded as less than human with rights denied, to be humiliated at every opportunity.

Under the Roman occupation over 2000 years ago, pregnant mothers were at least allowed the comfort of a stable. Under Israeli occupation, barbarism prevails.

It is the role of the media to question President Bush with regard to Israel’s treatment of an occupied people. Scottish Friends of Palestine urges this body to shoulder its responsibilities, not to shirk its duty.

Scottish Friends of Palestine is a firm advocate of the total boycott of all Israeli institutions, academic and cultural bodies and Israeli products – until as such times that the Israeli state ceases to boycott the rights of the Palestinian people, and international law as it pertains to the Palestinian people.